Who names their pet fish? You will be surprised that many actually do.

One of the reasons many cite is that fishes are pets too and it deserves a name. Some claim that people tend to treat pets better when they have been named. Others consider them part of the family and worthy of names. Whatever the reason, funny pet names for fish can be a great conversation starter. Naming fishes can also be quite fun! Here are some categories to start you off in search of the most suitable name for your pet fish.

Movie, TV show, Cartoon or Book-Inspired Names

Famous movies such as Free Willy, Finding Nemo and Fish called Wanda can inspire you to name your fish, Willy, Nemo, Dory or Wanda. You can also name your fish based on the characters in cartoons featuring underwater creatures such as Spongebob Squarepants. Examples of suitable names include Spongebob, Patrick (starfish), Mr Krabbs, Squidward or even Sandy (squirrel). Disney movies such as The Little Mermaid can lead you to names such as Ariel or Sebastian (the crab). You can also name your fish Dorothy, after Elmo’s pet goldfish. But the most famous book-inspired name for your fish will have to be Moby Dick. If you have two fishes to name, you can name one Moby and the other Dick. If you don’t like these names, you can name them after the author, Herman and Melville.

Appearance-related Names

Many people name their pets based on their appearance. You can do that too for your pet fish. You can name your fish Spot when it doesn’t have any. If your fish has big eyes, you may want to name it Goggles or even Googles, after the search engine, just for fun!

Behavior-related Names

The trick to naming your fish based on their behavior is to choose a behavior opposite to the behavior of your fish! For instance, you can name your small and timid guppy Jaws, Sharky or Piranha. You can also name your fish Fly. How many fish you know can do that? Or you can state the obvious such as Float for a fish name. However some behavior-related names lend itself quite well too. For example, you can name your Archerfish Squirt or your Pufferfish Puff. I know someone who has two Pufferfishes and named them Puff Daddy and Puffy the Vampire Slayer. She said it gave them character!

Food-inspired Names

There are many funny pet names for fish that is related to food. It is especially fun when you have to name two fishes. Some popular funny pet fish names include the famous Japanese food, Sushi and Sashimi. You can name them Fish and Chips or Ben and Jerry. What about Peanut and Butter? Or Catsnip and Tuna? If you’ re tired of and hungry from thinking of food-related names, you can just call them Lunch and Dinner!

Clever Names

If you are a copyeditor, you will find selecting clever names for your fish a breeze. But here are some examples to start you off, even if you’re not one. You can name your fish Stick. You get to introduce your fish in this way, “This is my fish, Stick!” It works well with Stock too. You can also call your fish Small Fry or Bait. Or Alpha for your betta.

Human Names

You can also choose common human names for your fish, but it must be cleverly chosen to have a hilarious impact. You can name your Archerfish Archie, your Angelfish Angela or your Salmon Sally. You can name your goldfish Goldie or Goldwin. You can also name them Finnigan or Gillian in general.

Pronunciation Names

Some people name their fish Bob or Tom and tell others that their fish can pronounce its own name. Try and find other names with a single syllable that can also garner the same effect.

Triplets and Quadruplets

If you have three fish, you can name them Larry, Curly and Moe based on the classic comedy series The Three Stooges. What if you have four fishes to name? Then, you can call them Eeny, Meeny, Miny and Mo.

It’s really fun finding a suitable name for your pet fish. Knowing the fact that your fish cannot come and bite you for giving it a funny name, often unleashes your creativity and comedy side in you. So, have fun inventing funny pet names for your fish!

Ah, fantastic article! I’m still laughing at Puffy the Vampire Slayer!!! Too cute! I’m thinking about getting a new betta fish soon, and I’ve been trying to come up with a good name! This article definitely gave me some ideas!

ed

Posted May 24, 2008 at 7:56 pm

My Siamese fighting fish was named Gill. I’m not sure if he liked it or not.

britt

Posted August 22, 2008 at 2:01 pm

master betta!

Jen

Posted August 27, 2008 at 4:45 am

I’m just getting some new fish, I’m thinking about calling them Splish, Splosh and splash!

Krystal

Posted August 30, 2008 at 5:25 am

I love Alpha for a siamese fish… I have had mine for a month and still haven’t named him. Good job

bacardi

Posted September 7, 2008 at 9:39 pm

britt- i luv ur suggestion! i’m naming my betta that =)

kookookaykay

Posted September 16, 2008 at 4:05 pm

I just got a beta today! I’m thinking about “Captain Cupcake!”

noooobody

Posted September 17, 2008 at 7:15 pm

neh neh neh, name it aquarius!!!!!! bleh
or uhhhhhhhhh
squishy!

Sarah Elizabeth D.

Posted September 21, 2008 at 3:05 pm

my fishes are white and ornage( I have two) And ones name is Colbey the other is Jack

alex,
a betta is another name for a siamese fighting fish
they have nice flowing fins and can grow up to about
7cm long. I am thinking about getting one and i did
alot of research for all of there needs but i still
haven’t pin pointed a name. i think i will wait to
see its personality. i have 5 ideas of a name. but
im still not sure, would any care to help ?

ideas;
Chill
Popcicle
Icecube
Chilly Pepper
Hot Tamally.

me2

Posted December 12, 2008 at 7:13 pm

I have two guppies. One is white, orange, and reddish, and the other is blue and black with orange spots on its tail. I am trying to think of names for them that will be a pair. Any suggestions?

VERLON

Posted December 22, 2008 at 2:24 am

I HAVE TO GOLD FISHASHDFILSHKSG

noons

Posted December 31, 2008 at 7:21 pm

i have two gold fish one is black and one is orange the shop keeper aat the shop i bought my orange gold fish from said that i had to call him damien because thta was his name. i just bought a black goldfish with big eyes a few hours ago and i have decided to call him mo.

blah

Posted January 2, 2009 at 4:40 pm

NAME A BETTA PIPPA!!!!!!!

doodah

Posted January 10, 2009 at 8:07 pm

name your fishie mr. valentino gult wigglesworth:)

fishfrenzy!!!!!!!

Posted February 6, 2009 at 3:48 pm

I have a blue beta it like to swim around in circles all day. I thought about calling him circly or swim circle but my best friend said it was totaly lame. I cant think of a name any cool ideas???

fishfrenzy!!!!!!!

Posted February 6, 2009 at 3:50 pm

dont you agree

ilylittlefishy

Posted February 7, 2009 at 4:55 am

ha im calling one of my fish beef.
isn’t just the perfect name?
if anyone is looking for a name they could call it sammy after sammy the salmon. look it upp on youtube its by the chemical brothers… you could call another one FatLip.
im considering it

nessy

Posted February 7, 2009 at 12:31 pm

i have 2 fish called ronnie and reggie after the kray twins

Home Skillit

Posted February 14, 2009 at 12:12 pm

Be silly with it!!

Chikka bee

Posted February 26, 2009 at 6:15 am

i really dont no what to call mine im thinkin valentino after the doctor valentino rossi,, its a blue betta with red in its ttale.. im really stuckk..?

My siamese fighter is named FABIO!
I guess I named him that ‘cos of his fabulous colouring: electric blue, purple and red!!!
I now have two (I assume, female) dwarf gouramis, they are either neon or powder blue.
Why are some fishes so difficult to identify!! ??

Fish Frenzy,
you should name your fish circ (like circ[le]) or radius, half the diameter of the circle or something along those lines…
hope that helped…

leigha

Posted September 3, 2009 at 2:58 am

haha i have 2 betta fish ones black and a light teal color but looks all black and the other is a light purple and dark magenta color I just named them Elvis (purple one) and either Galaxy or Kai for the darker one

Wojda

Posted September 4, 2009 at 10:45 am

If you like games and movies like I do, choose names you’ll easily remember,such as:

Who remembers the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? It provides a plethora of suitable names for your fishy friends. My favorite for a dopey duo would be Bebop and Rocksteady. A few other suggestions, taken from my running queue of fish names, are:

-Bruno (for flamboyant fish)
-nibblenuts (for fish which like to sniff other fish’s butt holes, kind of like dogs)
-Professor Blumpkin (just because you get to say blumpkin)
-mrbojeeber (got this name from a friend in 9th grade. it just sounds like a fish name)
-Shredder (inspired by TMNT, for aggresive, fin nipping/shredding fish)
-Brown eye (i.e. asshole fish)
-Scarface (for fish with battle scars on their face, either from running the world’s biggest fish drug cartel or fights with other fish).
-2Pac (for gangster fish)

If none of the names above suit you, then, in the words of Ludacris, go BLOW IT OUT YOUR ASS!

Whoopi

Posted June 5, 2010 at 6:32 pm

We named our goldfish Filet-o (as in McD’s filet-o-fish).

Tim

Posted June 6, 2010 at 5:00 pm

My first pet betta was named Gilbert Sullivan Baxter III. He was sick from the get-go, and only lived close to 1 year.

The next betta was named Poseidon. Tough little fish, lived over 2 years.

in the past I’ve had flubber gusher, gobbler, ranklin bumfluffin the 3rd, waffle banger, jinja ninja – i can’t remember the rest- if i got more I’d call them lucky, week & f****d because they’d be f****d & they’d be lucky if they lasted a week I’m s**t with goldfish.